RBC Avion Visa Infinite Review 2024: A Flexible Travel Credit Card With No Blackout Dates

• Get 35,000 welcome Avion points on approval**—enough to fly anywhere in Canada & the U.S† (Alaska and Hawaii require more points)
• Earn 1 Avion point for every dollar you spend* and an extra 25% on eligible travel purchases.
• Avioners can book flights with points on any airline, on any flight, at any time, early or last minute, with no blackout periods or restrictions.
• Avioners earn points that never expire so your points will be waiting for your next adventure.
• Redeem your points for travel and more. Use points for anything from paying bills and paying your card balance to redeeming gift cards and aerchandise at top brands like Apple. The Avion Rewards program gives you the freedom to use your points your way and helps you make the most of your time as an Avioner.
• Eligible Avion Rewards members can also convert points to other loyalty programs, including WestJet dollars, British Airways Avios points and Hudson’s Bay Rewards points.
• Link your RBC card with a Petro-Points membership to instantly save 3₵ per litre on fuel at Petro-Canada stations and earn 20% more Petro-Points and 20% more Avion points
• Link your RBC card with a Rexall Be Well account and get 50 Be Well points for every $1 spent on eligible products at Rexall. Redeem Be Well points faster for savings in-store on eligible purchases where 25,000 Be Well points = $10
• Get access to RBC offers, which provides access to earn points faster at specified brands
• Extensive insurance, including mobile device insurance, travel insurance (trip cancellation, interruption and emergency medical) and other eligible purchases to protect you and your family
• Avioners get access to luxury Visa Infinite benefits, including first-in-line access to exclusive events and hotel and dining benefits.
• Avioners no longer need 14-days to book travel using the RBC grid
•  Get $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash^
  Add your eligible RBC credit card to your DoorDash account to:
  • Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription± – a value of almost $120
  • Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card
• Get $0 delivery fees for 12 months from DoorDash – Add your eligible RBC credit card to your DoorDash account to:
  • Get a 12-month complimentary DashPass subscription18 – a value of almost $120
  • Enjoy unlimited deliveries with $0 delivery fees on orders of $15 or more when you pay with your eligible RBC credit card

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card is pretty basic in the grand scope of the Canadian travel credit card landscape. The regular earn rate is low (at 1 point for every dollar spent), and the only accelerated category is eligible travel, which earns you 25% more. Perks and benefits are also limited to a few types of travel insurance. Considering the annual fee is $120 and you need a minimum personal income of $60,000 to qualify, the RBC Avion Visa Infinite is lacking compared to other travel credit cards at this price point.

That being said, it’s not a bad card. The flight redemption schedule offers some pretty decent deals. Plus, you can use Avion points for any airline worldwide without blackouts or seat restrictions.

• Earn Avion points on every purchase at a rate of 1 point per dollar spent and 1.25 points per dollar spent on eligible travel.
• Points do not expire and can be redeemed towards travel with any airline with no blackout periods or seat restrictions.
• Cardholders can benefit from increased rewards when they link their card to participating programs at Petro-Canada and Rexall.

Earning rewards

Cardholders will earn Avion points when they spend with this card. Here’s how:

• Welcome bonus of 35,000 welcome Avion points on approval
• Earn 1 Avion point per dollar on all eligible purchases, plus an extra 25% on eligible travel-related purchases

There are no accelerated categories aside from travel. However, there are no earning caps or limits on how many points you can earn with this credit card.

Redeeming Rewards

Avion points can be redeemed online at avionrewards.com or via the RBC Avion app. You can redeem your Avion points toward:

• Travel: Avion points will have the best value when redeemed towards flights with the RBC Avion redemption schedule (a rate of $0.02-$0.0233). You can also redeem them through the RBC travel portal at a rate of $0.01 per point.
• Point Transfers: You can transfer Avion points to Westjet, British Airways and American Airlines.
• Gift Cards: You can redeem your Avion points for gift cards.
• Merchandise: You can redeem your Avion points for merchandise.
• Statements Credits: You can use your points toward your credit card statement.
• Charity Donations: You can use your points to donate to charity.

Rewards Potential

While the flexible redemption schedule for RBC Avion points is great, the earn rates and rewards potential are lacking compared to similar credit cards with high accelerated rates and a strong earning schedule. This means earning points with the RBC Avion Visa Infinite will be slower. That being said, cardholders can still come out ahead. Based on average Canadian spending, Forbes Advisor estimates this card could earn $178.72 in rewards value per year after the annual fee.

Travel Insurance

• Emergency Medical: Coverage for 15 days if you are under 65 or for the first three days if you are 65 or older.
• Travel Accident: Coverage up to $500,000.
• Trip Cancellation: Coverage up to $1,500 per person per trip (overall maximum of $5,000).
• Trip Interruption: Coverage up to $5,000 per person per trip (maximum of $25,000).
• Flight Delay: Coverage up to $250 per covered person (maximum of $500 per occurrence).
• Delayed Baggage: Coverage up to $500 per covered person (maximum of $2,500 per occurrence).
• Hotel/Motel Burglary: Coverage up to $2,500 per occurrence.
• Auto Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Insurance: Coverage for 48 consecutive days on vehicles under $65,000 MSRP.

Consumer Insurance

• Purchase Protection: Coverage for 90 days.
• Extended Warranty: Double the manufacturer’s warranty for up to a year.
• Mobile Device Insurance: Coverage up to $1,500.

Partner Benefits

• Petro Canada: Link your Petro-Points card to save $0.03 per litre on gas and earn 20% more Petro-Points.
• Rexall: Get 50 BeWell for every dollar spent on eligible purchases at Rexall when you link your card.
• DoorDash: Get a complimentary DashPass subscription for up to 12 months.
• The Friday Friend Pass: Buy one Friday lift pass with your card at participating resorts across Canada and get a free lift pass.

Visa Infinite Benefits

• Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection: Enjoy perks like room upgrades, complimentary WiFi, and late checkout at properties worldwide.
• Dining & Wine Country: Get access to culinary experiences at the best restaurants in Canada.
• Complimentary Concierge: Get a complimentary concierge service.

Interest Rates

• Regular APR: 20.99%
• Cash Advance: 22.99%
• Balance Transfer: 22.99%

Fees

• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.5%
• Balance Transfer Fee: 3% of the transaction amount
• Annual Fee: $120
• Any Other Fees: additional card: $50, dishonoured payment: $45, overlimit fee: $29 (does not apply in Quebec)

RBC Avion Visa Infinite vs. TD® Aeroplan® Visa Platinum* Card

The TD® Aeroplan® Visa Platinum* Card has an $89 annual fee and earns rewards at a rate of 1 point per dollar spent. While there are no accelerated categories, Aeroplan members can double dip and earn double the points at participating retailers. This card also comes with comprehensive insurance plus the Aeroplan program, one of the top rewards programs in Canada. With similar structures, the TD Aeroplan Visa Platinum Card is likely a better pick since it does have a lower annual rate.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite vs. PC World Elite Mastercard

The PC World Elite Mastercard is a no-annual-fee credit card aimed at individuals who are more interested in earning free groceries than redeeming points for travel or shopping rewards. Cardholders earn 30 to 45 points per dollar spent at participating PC Optimum rewards brands and 10 points per dollar spent elsewhere. While the PC World Elite Mastercard does come with travel insurance, it’s not a travel card. If you are in the market for a card where the rewards are best for travel, then the RBC Avion Visa Infinite is the better pick.

RBC Avion Visa Infinite vs. CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

Another Aeroplan card to compare is the CIBC Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card. At $139 per year, it’s a little pricier than the RBC Avion Visa Infinite card, however, it also has higher earn rates of 1.5 points per dollar spent on gas, groceries, Air Canada travel and electric vehicle charging. All other purchases earn 1 point per dollar spent. Since it is an Aeroplan card, you can double dip with Aeroplan partners, earning points even faster. It is a bit more expensive, but the earning and rewards potential is much higher, meaning it is more lucrative as a travel credit card.

When determining a rating for individual credit cards, the Forbes Advisor Canada editorial team factors in an exhaustive list of data points. With rewards, the scoring model used considers factors such as, but not limited to, reward rates and categories, fees, welcome bonuses, and other benefits and features. Keep in mind that what may be best for some people might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card is attractive because you can earn points across all purchases and the redemption schedule for flights is incredibly flexible. That said, it will be slow to earn points with the majority of purchases at the lower earning rates for this credit card. Plus, perks and benefits outside of travel insurance are lacking. If you are a frequent traveller and are really looking to get into maximizing points and rewards, it may not be the best option for you.

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